Anya McKean: Slytherin
by Allie2013
Summary: Anya McKean is a Slytherin 6th year terrified for her family. They want nothing to do with pureblood hierarchies and that has put a giant target on the family. Events of the summer have put her on defense: her brother is missing and her mother and sister have fled for protection. She is not safe. Even within Hogwars.
1. Chapter 1

Anya McKean

Anya sat in the library once again. She had taken to losing herself in school work lately. Her two friends were worried. She was not loud and fun-loving anymore and hardly spoke outside of class. She still would stand up to people she felt were doing wrong but she never spoke. Anya was very tall for a girl and was solid from years of playing Chaser on the Slytherin Quidditch team. Facing her glare was not something many would choose to cross.

But right now Anya didn't feel like putting on a front, so she retreated to a tucked away corner of the library, where no one would see the tears slipping from her eyes as she read her DADA textbook. Anya had always been a studious person but now she rarely did anything but study. Anya was determined to do whatever it took to keep her mind away from the events of summer.

"Anya!"

Anya turned towards the Great Hall to face her best friend. Ellie Parks was Anya's opposite. She was short where Anya was tall, her hair was fair where Anya's was dark, she was girly & shy where Anya was tomboyish and loud, at least she used to be. Now Anya made Ellie look like the loudest person around. And she was a Gryffindor when Anya was a Slytherin.

"Where have you been?"

"Library." Anya wasn't in the mood to give more than one word answers.

"For three hours?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Study."

Ellie sighed, "I don't know what has gotten into you lately. Ever since term started three days ago you've been cold and distant."

Anya's heart and face softened at her friend. She didn't mean to be cold but when she was upset, she drew into herself and shut down. It was just her gut reaction to stress and grief. She had never drawn in this far before and Ellie was a bit scared for Anya.

"And you've been shooting daggers at Jackson every time he…." Ellie trailed off as Anya stiffened and hissed at the mention of Jackson. William Jackson was too closely connected to summer for Anya to handle right now.

"Don't mention him to me," she snarled.

Ellie shrunk behind her books as Anya towered over her.

"O-O-Okay," she squeaked.

Anya sighed and pushed down her rising temper. "Sorry. It's not your fault."

Ellie studied her friend as she hesitantly asked, "What happ-"

"No!" Anya cut her off. Ellie knew that she had overstepped a line that Anya didn't used to have. And one she knew Anya wouldn't cross.

The bell sounded in the distance for the start of the last class. Without much more than a "bye" she left Ellie and made her way to DADA.

Anya caught sight of her other friend as she neared the DADA classroom. Caleb Edens was taller than she was, about 6'2" with dark black hair. He was just as smart as Anya but didn't show it. He was broad shouldered and strong looking because of his position as a Beater on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. He was a guy of few words but Anya had always valued his opinion on problems. They had met before Hogwarts and they fought constantly before 3rd year when Anya had saved him from a duel. They had been good friends ever since.

Anya loved DADA. It was both aggressive physically and mentally. Professor Lupin was one of her favorite Professors as well because he made the class interesting. They had just starting studying Patronuses, a defense against dementors.

Anya took her seat next to Caleb, glad that Slytherins and Ravenclaws were together. Caleb could always tell when she was upset and gave her difference when she needed it. Professor Lupin hadn't entered the class, so Caleb took the risk and asked, "You want to talk about it?"

Anya looked at him from the corner of her eye. "No."

"Jackson?"

"Not exactly." Caleb grunted and turned back to face the front just as Professor Lupin called the class to attention. Anya paid close attention the entire lesson until Professor Lupin told them the most important part of the Patronus charm: a very strong happy memory. Anya groaned and earned a look from both Caleb and the Professor. Anya didn't know how many strong happy memories she had anymore.


	2. Chapter 2

Someone cleared their throat causing Anya to surface from the Potions essay on Polyjuice potion she had been elbows deep in for over an hour.

In front of Anya stood William Jackson, sneering. Anya immediately went through dozens of emotions before settling on angry as she asked, "What do you want Jackson?"

"Oh, so harsh, McKean. And here I thought you'd be over our little run in over the summer."

Anya took a deep breath and counted to 10 before answering, glaring at him all the while.

"You must be more of a heartless git than I thought if you thought I would just get over what you and your little gang did to my brother and I-"

"Oh!" he said as though it had just occurred to him, "That reminds me, now that you mention it, I do think I saw your dear Hector before I came back." He chuckled darkly as he ran a hand through his dark hair, slightly darker than Anya's own.

"You bloody git!"

"Now, now McKean, let's not throw insults."

Anya snorted. "Get on with it Jackson. And leave me alone before I decide to hex you."

"Ah, yes. Where was I? Oh yes. Hector. Let's see, it was about a week before term started. I had gone out to run an errand when a sign of movement caught my eye on Knockturn Alley. Upon closer inspection I discovered that Borgan and Burkes had an interesting new apprentice. He was over 6' and dark hair like a certain 6th year girl that I know. He looked rather pale like he hadn't seen the sun in weeks and his clothes seemed to hang off of him. Upon closer inspection, I discovered he was bound by magic and could move no more than was needed by his job. As I walked in he turned to greet me but clamped his mouth shut as soon as he recognized me. He started to lunge at me but was stopped by his bonds. He spat out 'Alright you bloody arse, what have you done with my sister?' Naturally I looked at him and asked, 'Do I know you?'"

Jackson sneered as he watched Anya fight to maintain her composure.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Oh I don't know, I just thought you might be interested in the local gossip. And I was hoping you could identify something to help me find its owner."

"What is it then?"

Jackson continued smirking as if he hadn't a care in the world as he drew a small object from the pocket of his robes. "This."

Anya recognized it immediately. It was Hector's necklace. He never took it off. The silver chain was long and thin. Strung onto the chain were 3 items. The first was a silver snake with green gems eyes. He had bought it when Anya was sorted into Slytherin. The second was a small silver owl that their baby sister had gotten him for Christmas years ago. And the third was their mother's ring that she had given Hector before she and little Rose had fled for Oklahoma, mere days before Anya and Hector had been kidnapped. Anya wore their father's ring around her own neck.

It was the most valuable thing to Hector, his most prized possession. Seeing the necklace without him nearly made Anya breakdown.

"Give it to me!" she snapped at him as she grabbed the necklace out of his hand.

"Touchy, touchy. Besides I haven't even told you the best part.

"And pray tell, what would that be?!" she demanded, nearly pushed to the breaking point.

"Oh when I went back the next day he was gone and old Burkes told me to pass along the necklace." He smirked at the pain that flashed across Anya's face as the hope she hadn't realized had built up, shattered inside her chest and felt as though it pierced her heart.

She grabbed her books and shoved them in her bag as she practically sprinted out of the library, Hector's necklace clutched to her chest. She ran through the Entrance Hall, out the doors, down the front steps and out onto the grounds. There was an old abandon, broken down part of the castle where Anya went to hide. The entrance was a crack in the wall that ran about 6' high and a foot and a half across. It led to down a small passage about 8' long and opened into the remains of an old classroom. Broken desks, chairs and cabinets littered the floor along with rubble from the walls. Anya dug out the old, worn but still warm blanket and a cushion from a partially standing cabinet. Her bag slid off her shoulder and she tossed it aside as she sunk down on the cushion wrapped in the blanket, tears streaming down her face.

Undoing the clasp on Hector's necklace, she fastened it around her own neck. She pulled her knees up to her chest and sobbed until she ran out of tears and went numb. She laid for hours, wrapped in the blanket, staring straight in front of her. She could still hear the screams that tore from his throat as they tortured him. The man who always went out of his way to help others, the kindest person she knew, broken and sobbing on the floor in front of her.

Hours later, Caleb found her, shaking uncontrollably, still in the abandoned classroom, chanting over and over in a broken voice, "Me not him, me not him"

As Caleb helped her inside and down to the dungeons, neither one of them noticed the blond haired young man, half hidden in shadows, watching them from across the Entrance Hall. His eyes were guarded and his face nearly expressionless except for the slightly downwards set of his mouth.

Φ


End file.
